G.I. Joe: El contraataque

This second G.I JOE film doesn't have much in terms of a well thought out plot but it does have some great visuals and is packed with loads of well staged action sequences so action movie buffs should have a blast. For those also seeking more of a character story it's still best to look somewhere else.

The acting is however surprisingly good given the film's plot. Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum both bring a certain likability to their characters and I enjoyed watching them the most and of course Adrianne Palicki who was very friendly on the eyes.

Overall, The film might not have much of a plot but the great visuals and the well made action sequences keep it from becoming a total bore. Those who want more of a character driven plot might not think very much of it.

As a film buff, I love seeing films alone on Saturday afternoons or Friday nights. As as result of my frequent attendance, I have come to know not to expect much from action blockbuster films. Yes, you get your usual incomprehensible hand-to-hand fights, buildings exploding and enemy gunfire as inaccurate as ever, with the inevitably minimal plot and screenplay. As the ending credits rolled, I stood up thinking "ehhh". The film definitely had some amazingly entertaining action sequences and awesome special effects, but you know, you can't really be THAT amazed with an action film. Not gonna lie, the screenplay in this film was pretty well written, and it included quite a few pleasantly surprising laughs. Dwayne Johnson has a big few months ahead of him with the release of Snitch (which I give a 7/10), the next Fast and Furious movie, and Pain & Gain. With this film, he did reinforce his true acting credentials, even though not much notable acting is observed in such a genre. All in all, if you're expecting something like Olympus Has Fallen, you might be dissatisfied. If you go in like me, with no true expectations other than hoping for some entertainment, you might like what you see.

The sequel to the first G.I.Joe movie gathered some negative reviews like its predecessor. This kind of thing doesn't deter me from watching any movie and one of the reasons is because you have to understand what kind of movie you're going to watch. I know that this is a mindless action flick with a simple plot. It's entertaining and it doesn't have to prove a point by being a perfectly constructed movie. It's meant to look cool and lack any real depth. After getting that out of my system, I can say that I enjoyed watching Retaliation and will try to watch it many times in the future, as this is the kind of film I watch when I wanna have fun. Ranging from The Rock to Willis this movie has very stylistic characters that ultimately kick ass with the Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow battles coming to mind. The special effects also look impressive, particularly in one massive destruction scene. If you like to just lay back and see great fights and a little eye candy then this is the movie for you. Anyone trying to be logic about this I'll just tell you that you are wasting your time.

Rating 8/10

The first GI Joe movie was so hilariously unrealistic and just completely bat crazy, that it was really a good 'just stare at all the explosions and enjoy' movie... but unfortunately this 2nd film is much, much less flamboyant and much less of an extravagant affair... they also removed Sienna Miller and Joseph Gordon Levitt which is an obvious down-point.

So overall, this film is much less of a spectacle than the first film, but the plot also isn't 'all over the place' and thus it has a better plot and story. So if you want your eyeballs bombarded by explosions and huge amounts of CGI, then rather watch the first film... but if you want a more structured 'action film experience' then this 2nd installment is better for you... both films are only barely 6/10 films though, and neither comes close to the action films greats like MI:Fallout.

This sequel may have a few flaws like most sequels, but G.I. Joe: Retaliation is much more charismatic and an improvement upon its predecessor.